last year there were swans this year we have to be swans that's the difference

those from years gone by they're mythic and marvelous can't begrudge them that

we need grit to live a little cracked corn, and grit little bits of sand

I like shiny things and I like smooth warm dark things I'm a weather vane

I'm a rooster-doo I flap my wings till dust blows a tornado man

Doug Lang: Born and raised in Wales, came to DC in 1973, ran Folio Reading series in the 1970s, edited and published Dog City magazine and Jawbone Books, taught writing at the Corcoran 37 years, most recent book is Dérangé.

David McAleavey's poetry has recently appeared in journals such as Epoch, Poetry Northwest, Denver Quarterly, diode poetry journal, anderbo.com, Stand, and Drunken Boat. His fifth, most recent book is HUGE HAIKU (Chax Press 2005), and he teaches literature and creative writing at George Washington University in D.C.

David Meni is a Senior at the George Washington University, studying Political Science with minors in Creative Writing and Music Performance. Much of David's poetry explores how we define and understand ourselves through others, the act of defining one's self, and how we locate empathy in lostness.David grew up in Princeton Junction, New Jersey and now lives in Dupont Circle with three roommates. He enjoys playing the trumpet, discussing public policy, building bicycles, and discovering new corners of the DC area. In between all these things, he fantasizes about having free time.

Lauren Roll is an artist and art educator based in Washington, D.C. She studies Fine Arts at the Corcoran.

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